On Wednesday night, Northfield police responded to reports of a car hitting a bicyclist at the intersection of Highway 3 and 5th Street.
At approximately 9:35, during the severe weather event, a Subaru Impreza driven by 19-year-old William James Matzek of Hastings was moving North on Highway 3 at the intersection with 5th Street when he collided with 44 –year-old Mark Steven Ring of Northfield, who was on a bicycle.
According to the report filed by the Minnesota State Patrol, Mr. Ring was travelling south on Highway 3 and made an illegal left turn onto 5th Street. The left turn lane is closed at the intersection due to construction on the 5th Street Bridge.
While Matzek was physically unharmed n the incident, Ring suffered serious injuries. He was treated at the scene, and then taken to Northfield Hospital before being transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center. While his injuries are listed as life threatening, earlier reports that Ring had passed away were erroneous.
Ring was wearing a helmet.
The report showed that alcohol was not a factor in the crash. Matzek is said to have been cooperative with authorities on the scene.
City seeking an ice arena solution
On Tuesday night during the City Council work session, City Administrator Ben Martig informed the council that Aurora Pharmaceutical has
approached the city with interest in acquiring the Northfield Ice Arena property.
While there was enthusiastic support by the council for the idea, it does open a new set of questions. The Northfield Youth Hockey Association is a thriving organization with great participation, the Northfield High School Hockey program is healthy and successful, and there are many other programs, like the Northfield Skating School, that make use of the building, so how does the city intend to fill that loss?
Martig said there are options. Land on the southwest section of town has been offered to the hockey association as a donation if a new arena can be built. In 2018 a plan was put together to build a facility dubbed the Northfield Civic Center, which would have housed two sheets of ice and had space for many other uses as well. The referendum to build the facility failed, but he said reviving the project or putting together a new one to take advantage of the land donation, which has come to be known as the Gleason Site, is a possibility.
Another option, he said would be to work in partnership with the Northfield School District to create a new facility. The district is currently evaluating the high school for upgrades and improvements, and Martig said this could be a good time to try to work together and pool their resources.
From the district perspective, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said they would be receptive to having a conversation about a new facility.
Hillmann said among the things they are realizing as they evaluate the high school, is that the district athletic facilities have fallen behind other schools within the conference. He referenced the declining enrollment within the district, which is due to a long-term and ongoing housing shortage and a slowing of birth rates and said one of the ways to attract new families to town is through better athletic opportunities, and a new ice arena would fit into that plan. He also said strategic partnerships are a core value to the district, and the opportunity to work with the city would be welcome. Finally, he said, as a part of the community, the district knows and understands that a solution has been needed for the aging and decrepit arena for many years.
“We have a responsibility to sit at that table and talk to the city,” he said.
While Aurora seems to be ready to move on the project, Martig said the company understands the time requirements necessary for the city to find the right solution, and they are willing to be patient.
“They believe it is very important to find a solution to the ice arena itself, because they think it’s important to our community. So, they want to be flexible and give some time to figure out how we might have a win-win solution out of this. It makes it an easier opportunity knowing the condition of the exiting building, and just the fact, even if we stayed there, we would be looking at some pretty major costs with that.”
While it will take some time to sort things out, all the public figures involved, from the mayor to the members of the council to the school district is offering full throated support to help Aurora Pharmaceutical grow, which will give this project the momentum that it needs.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
Juniors and Seniors welcome and encouraged to attend after prom party
The Northfield Prom is set for tomorrow night It’s an evening that marks an important time in many students’ lives and creates lifelong
memories. However, there is a downside to prom night as well.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some 300 teenagers die every year in prom night alcohol-related car accidents. With that in mind the parents of Northfield’s Junior Class will host an after-prom party at the Dundas Dome.
County Attorney John Fossum, who is one of those parents, said the party will offer an opportunity for Prom goers to extend their night, without putting themselves or others at risk. Juniors and Seniors from the Northfield High School and the Area Learning Center along with their pre-approved guests are invited to attend the event from midnight until 3:30am, no matter if they attended the prom or not. The party will offer games, prize drawings, food, and soft drinks. In addition, there will be an obstacle course, hamster balls, mini golf, a golf simulator, cornhole, lawn bowling, and a trivia game. Participants can also use the Tiktok stage and a photo booth. Students can recharge their phones, play Frisbee or soccer and enjoy the evening. Students will be able to recharge their phones, play Frisbee or soccer and enjoy the evening.
Entry to the party is $5. Students may enter until 1 a.m. The party is not a lock in, but once students leave, they cannot return. Attendees must be present to win the drawings, cash and other prizes that will be awarded.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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